Everyone thought emotion would carry them only so far after the scandal broke and penalties were put in place.

Sure they’d win a few games and then the rigors of Origin would take its toll and they’d become little more than a hard training run for teams looking for a finals berth.

Well they’ve played eight games since those penalties were in place and while dealing with injuries, two Origins and more murky headlines about who knew what and when about contracts, yet they’re still going strong.

If you counted their nine wins this season, Melbourne would be fifth on the ladder, just where they like to be this time of year before the run home.

You may think I’m about to soften my stance and say, ‘let’m play for points’ but I’m not.

It’s more an observation of their will and determination down south and that has to be admired, even if we’re still waiting for them to run out of puff when they realise it’s all for nothing.

The other thing that’s become clear is the ongoing malaise that is the forensic accounting investigation into the Storm’s salary cap rort.

As it continues, everything is seemingly on hold.

Ask any club recruitment man why they’re not picking over Melbourne’s roster for the best buys and they’ll tell you they can’t, as they don’t even know what’s going to happen down there in terms of players hitting the market place.

Other than those who were already given permission to look elsewhere before things blew up, the majority are unofficially off limits which I find amazing.

You have Essendon supposedly courting Greg Inglis into possibly another major defection yet NRL clubs are unable to get a look in.

Manly lose their amazing young half-back Trent Hodkinson to the Bulldogs when by rights, the Dogs should have been able to make a bold play for Storm’s number seven Cooper Cronk instead.

The market should be incredibly active now.